It may surprise you to learn that Stranger Things’ already iconic ‘Demogorgon’ monster was not, in fact, a pure CGI creation.

In keeping with the show’s ’80s inspirations, including creature features like The Thing and Aliens, practical effects were at the forefront.

Detailed models and a full-size suit helped bring the Demogorgon to life on screen.

i spoke to the people responsible for making the nightmarish being a reality.

Based on a snapping turtle

Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer knew they wanted a practical effect for their creature.

So during the production of season one, they turned to up-and-coming studio Aaron Sims Creative – who tapped some rather surprising influences for its design.

“The main reference was a snapping turtle’s mouth,” says studio founder Aaron Sims, referring to the Demogorgon’s distinctive and unsettling maw. “Not so much the flower petal shape, but how the teeth were arranged.

“As far as the movement – working in the industry for many years, we understand that body language has a lot to do with a ‘familiar yet creepy vibe’. And having the creature hunched over can provide that feeling.”

Sims, a veteran of films such as Men in Black, cut his teeth under effects legends Stan Winston and Rick Baker.

One lesson he learned from Winston and Baker was to “find a silhouette that is recognisable and could be an iconic shape that people remember later on”.

As such, effort was put into making the Demogorgon’s shadowy profile memorable and evocative.

A model monster

It took a month in total to design and create the initial Demogorgon models, with “a bit of trial and error along the way”.

Aaron Sims Creative also did concept and asset design for Stranger Things 2

Interestingly, the studio made use of Formlabs 3D printers to help transition the monster from initial sketches to physical reality.

“In other shots, where the creature was required to do something that was unsafe for the actor, or that the suit couldn’t do, we stepped in with a full CG creature.”

A painted version of the Demogorgon model – together with some of its inspirations (Photo: Aaron Sims Creative)

“There were some shots that were completely practical, with a guy in a suit,” adds Sims. “Most of the enhancements had to do with creating a more ‘wet’ look. We also cleaned up elements on the suit itself, added elements to the face, like the teeth, and removed things that were being puppeteered.

“What couldn’t be done practically was done digitally, with a completely digital creature.”

Making the Upside Down

The studio also helped create the ominous world of the Upside Down – drawing inspiration from spiders webs to do so.

“We looked at intense balls of spider webs. Not your standard spider web, but the type that are built up over years with multiple spiders – as well as volcanic ash,” says Sims.

“We took our world and added a film of webs and goo, the floating particles as debris, while showing very little light. We added lots of mist, dust, and pollen-like particulates in the air, to make it feel like a toxic environment.

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